old French stamps

Just a short post today -

Here is a selection of old French stamps I received in trade for a set of (mostly) Japanese stamps. Of course the bright colors and interesting designs of modern stamps are interesting, but sometimes I prefer the simple - perhaps elegant? - designs of older stamps.

日本語 hints:

elegant - most people know this word, but be careful about pronunciation: elegant vs. arrogant. "Elegant" = 上品、優雅、and so on -- very positive. But "arrogant" has very negative connotations: 横柄、無礼 and so on. So be careful when saying something like "The French are elegant"!!